Are you graduating with a business degree and stuck on what jobs you should actually be applying for? Check out this list of 10 jobs you could get with a business degree. We’ve ranked them lowest to highest paid jobs and included how much you could expect to earn at the height of your role!
10. Actuarial Analyst
Salary: £15,000 to £18,000 at entry-level
Salary Cap: £66,000
Actuarial analysts use formulas to assess risk. This works in life insurance, for example, calculating the customer’s life expectancy. Your responsibilities will include understanding and using complex mathematic formulas, using spreadsheets and writing reports.
You can expect at the height of your role to earn £66k… not bad at all!
Qualifications needed: CAA from the IFoA
9. Business Adviser
Salary: £18,000 to £20,000 at entry level
Salary Cap: £60,000
Business Advisors provide information, support, coaching and advice to those in the industry. You’ll provide specialist services and your responsibilities will demand in-depth knowledge of the business world. You’ll undertake diagnostic needs assessments, developing your own professional network, researching, communicating, tutoring and organising events.
Plus, you can earn up to £60k a year at the height of your role! Worth it!
8. Project Manager
Salary: £20,000 – £35,000 at entry-level
Salary Cap: £62,000
Project managers will need to track work, set deadlines, delegate tasks and identify risks. They are responsible for completing a project in line with the plan given to them.
In this role, your responsibilities would involve following a standard process, initiating the project, planning, selecting and leading a team. You’ll manage the project and coordinate your team, implementing necessary changes and reporting to the client.
Not too bad when you think about earning £62k a year at the height of your role!
7. Business Analyst
Salary: £21,000 to £31,000 at entry-level
Salary Cap: £71,000
Business analysts will work within an organisation or company. Your job is to help them manage, change and plan for their future to help them reach their goals. You may be hired for one project or as a permanent fixture.
Your responsibilities will be communicating with colleagues to understand the needs of the business, working with stakeholders and using data modelling. You’ll also be identifying processes required to introduce your ideas, produce written reports, support staff and teams and ensure that plans are made to evaluate the changes.
All of that for £71k a year at the height of your role is pretty good!
6. Risk Manager
Salary: £21,000 to £23,000 at entry-level
Salary Cap: £70,000
Risk managers are responsible for managing any risk to an organisation, its employees, reputation, customers, and assets. You will identify any risks and put plans in place in case of emergencies as well as deciding how to reduce or remove the risk.
Your responsibilities will include planning overall risk management processes, evaluating risk, quantifying ‘risk appetite, reporting risks, governing insurance and providing risk awareness training.
Spotting risks could get you up to £70k a year at the height of your role!
Qualifications needed: if your degree is unrelated to this career, it may be worth studying a postgraduate degree in Risk Management or taking the Institute of Risk Management International Certificate in Enterprise Risk Management
5. Business Development Manager
Salary: £21,000 to £23,000 at entry-level
Salary Cap: £70,000
Business Development Managers are responsible for identifying new opportunities for businesses to grow, generate revenue and improve their profit. You may work in construction, education, finance, healthcare, IT, manufacturing or telecommunications.
You’ll have to research and identify new business opportunities, seek out contacts, generate leads, meet with customers, foster and develop relationships, draw up contracts, and ensure staff understand changes.
At the height of this role, you could earn up to £80k.
4. Stockbroker
Salary: £25,000 plus commission at entry-level
Salary Cap: £150,000
Stockbrokers manage and look after other people’s investments, acting as a middle ground between their clients and the stock exchange. You may well be institutional (working for groups or institutions, i.e on pensions, insurance) or retail.
The role’s specifics depend on how much control the client gives you. However, you can expect to manage investments, advise on investing and invest for your client. You will need to keep up to date with finance and tax laws, monitor the stock market performances, keep informed, research, provide advice, write reports, proactively search for clients and regularly update your clients.
Stockbrokers can earn up to £150k with enough years of experience!
Qualifications needed: whilst not necessary, employers would value a postgraduate course in finance and investment or a Masters of Business
3. Management Consultant
Salary: £25,000 to £30,000 at entry-level
Salary Cap: £50,000
Management consultants exist to assist organisations with any issues they may have. They help to create value, maximise growth and improve business performance using their knowledge and skillset.
The role’s responsibilities will usually be to carry out research and data collection, conduct analysis, interview employees, run focus groups and prepare business proposals. They also identify issues, present findings, lead and manage and liaise with clients.
Management consultants can earn up to £50k per year at the height of their roles.
Qualifications needed: having an MBA, MA or PhD may appeal to some employers and allow you to enter the profession at a higher level
2. Arbitrator
Salary: £28,000 at entry-level
Salary Cap: £65,000
As an arbitrator, you will work in alternative dispute resolution. This helps resolve legal disputes without utilising the courts, and enables disputes to be resolved internationally. Arbitrator’s play the role of the neutral ground. They make decisions based on evidence rather than vested interests.
The types of issues arbitrators will be asked to help with family matters, employment disagreement, financial or contractual, sports, life science or shipping. Your responsibilities in the role will include writing a notice of arbitration, gathering evidence, organising meetings and summarising each side’s position. You’ll also be interpreting relevant laws, making a decision and carrying out follow-up work.
If you end up an arbitrator, you can earn up to £65k at the height of your role.
Qualifications needed: whilst not necessary, a Law degree is valuable. As is a course or degree which covers Arbitration
1. Chartered Management Accountant
Salary: £28,000 – £32,000 at entry-level
Salary Cap: 129,000
In this role, you will prepare, develop and analyse an organisation’s financial information to help them make smart choices to further their business. It incorporates business and accounting skills and relies on your ability to look into the future, analyse performance and provide the necessary advice.
Your responsibilities will be preparing periodic financial statements, providing support services and ensuring budgets are kept to. You’ll be informing strategic decisions, advising on financial implications, negotiating on major projects, monitoring financial information systems and offering professional judgement.
Chartered accountants can earn as high as £129k at the height of their roles.
Qualifications needed: CIMA Certificate in Business and Accounting
